


The Hard Hitting Truth

by TheAuthor44



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:15:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25520449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAuthor44/pseuds/TheAuthor44
Summary: Set post 1x10 - After her day of endless outbursts, Zoey has a dream that hits her with a hard truth.
Relationships: Zoey Clarke & Max Richman, Zoey Clarke/Max Richman
Comments: 7
Kudos: 34





	The Hard Hitting Truth

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by the wonderful AubreyRichman ...
> 
> Who also happens to be the first guest on my new podcast "Watching & Writing" 
> 
> It's all about fanfiction - from the authors perspective! The first episode will be available on Spotify on Tues 7/28! Check it out!

It had been a hell of a day, emphasis on  _ hell _ . Zoey had almost alienated everyone in her life due to her massive emotional outbursts, so as soon as Simon left, it was time for bed. As she wandered around in an exhausted daze, getting ready to go to sleep, one fight in particular kept playing over and over in her mind. Making up with Max would have to wait, and that was good, since Zoey had absolutely no idea where to start. She could have easily made him a stop on her apology tour of the night, but something stopped her. There was something about their fight that gnawed at her. Maybe because it was the first one they ever had? Or because the way he had looked at her as he walked away still made her sick to her stomach? As Zoey drifted off to sleep, she pushed those thoughts away, along with the memory of her harsh words. She would figure it out, she just needed to sleep on it.

* * *

When Zoey opened her eyes, she couldn’t move. Looking around, she definitely wasn’t in her bedroom anymore. There was nothing around but barren trees and a desert wasteland … and rope tied around her feet. Wriggling around, Zoey could now feel that her entire body was tied down on some kind of railroad tracks. Quickly turning her head side to side, Zoey let out a sigh of relief that there were no oncoming trains.

“Help! Somebody?” She cried out, struggling against the ropes, trying to get them loose. 

Zoey was about to give up hope, until she felt a shadow cast over her. Tilting her head back, she saw Max standing behind her with his arms crossed. 

“What’s the problem, Zoey? If you tell me, we can fix it together.” He asked, his tone making him sound oblivious to her current predicament.

“You’re joking, right?” Zoey said, turning to look at him only to find that Max was now standing by her feet. “You really don’t see my problem?”

“Do you? I mean … it’s pretty obvious.”

“Yeah, it is. I’m tied down to a train track like in one of those old westerns I used to watch with my grandpa.” 

“No, that’s not it.” Max replied, walking to her side before crouching down to her level. “Maybe, if we look at it from another angle.”

“Or you could untie me? Just a thought.” Everytime their eyes met, Zoey felt the ropes tighten. “Max, please, this really hurts.”

“Believe me, I know.” he said, with a pain behind his eyes that Zoey had seen before.

“Is this because of our fight? Look, I’m sorry for what I said. I didn’t mean it, I was just …” Zoey suddenly realized she didn't know how to finish that thought. She had no idea why she had blown up at Max so badly. Afterall, she was the one who encouraged him to take the job on the 6th floor. So, why had she gotten so upset when he sided with them in the bakeoff? 

Thinking about it, Zoey couldn’t remember a time when Max wasn’t by her side. No matter what she did, no matter what happened, Max was still there. He was there, even after he found out she set him up with Autumn to avoid his feelings. He was there, even after she cancelled movie night time and again with some lame excuse. He was there, even after watching her put on a floor show for Simon minutes after serenading him. He was there through every lie, every mistake, every fault and every flaw. 

“I can’t do this anymore, Zoey.” Max said, pulling her from her thoughts. As he stood up and took a step back, Zoey wanted nothing more than to reach out to him - but her hands were still tied. 

“Max…”

“I should know better by now, right? I mean, every time, every time it’s like... getting hit with a freight train.” Max rose to his feet, looking around for something. “You know what. I know how to help you, Zoey.”

“Max, just untie me and we can …”

“You need to feel it too. If you feel it too, then you’ll understand.” 

Max started to walk away, and all Zoey could do was watch. He looked just like he did when he walked away after their fight - marching away from her, his anger seeping into every step. In their entire friendship, Zoey had only ever seen him get slightly upset, and it had never been aimed at her. Suddenly, she could hear Max’s voice echoing through her mind.

_ Zoey, I just told you I loved you …  _

_ You set me up with Autumn …  _

_ Now I know you're telling the truth because no one would ever lie about doing something that heartless …  _

_ So you’re afraid to even try …  _

_ One song is about attraction the other one’s about love …  _

_ You are calling me selfish! _

Max’s voice morphed into a train whistle, causing Zoey to turn her head towards the sound. Where there had once been miles and miles of empty tracks, now stood a literal freight train. In an instant, Zoey no longer felt ropes tying her down, and looking she saw none anywhere in sight. Standing up, Zoey immediately backed off of the tracks. Every cell in her body was telling her to run. And she almost did, until she heard the train whistle again, looking to see Max was now standing in the same spot where she had been tied down. The train let out another screeching whistle, as it started to make its way down the track - heading straight for Max.

“Max … Max, move.” Zoey called out, but Max didn’t seem to hear her. Instead, he stood motionless; his face lacking any expression whatsoever. Zoey inched closer, keeping a close eye on the fast approaching locomotive. “Max …. Max!” When he still didn’t respond, Zoey walked back onto the tracks and stood right in front of him. “Max, you have to move. Come on, please … you have to move.”

When talking didn’t work, Zoey decided she was going to have to move Max on her own. She moved to his side, pushing with all her might but he didn’t even budge. She tried leaning her whole weight into his side, but that had the same result. The train was coming closer and closer, and her heart was pounding in time with every passing second. A surge of panic and dread filled Zoey up from the inside. Max still wasn’t moving, frustrating her to no end. Finally, she resorted to smacking his chest with her hands, trying anything to break him out of his trance.

“Why … won’t … you … just … MOVE!!!!” Zoey let her last blow linger, looking up to see Max finally acknowledging her presence. The look on his face took her breath away, he looked so … happy. It was the same ear-to-ear grin he had on his face after she sang him his own personal heart-song. Max had so much love in his eyes, and it was something Zoey hadn’t realized she had missed until that moment. His hand moved to cup her cheek, her heart stopping as he did so.

“I can’t move, Zoey. And if I'm being honest … I don’t want to.” Max said, his loving gaze never leaving her face.

“Why not? You don’t have to be so stubborn. You don’t have to keep getting hurt.” 

“I love you, Zoey. So, this is my fate … what’s yours?” 

His words froze Zoey in place. She could feel the rumbling of the train as it approached. The way she saw it, Zoey had two options: she could run away from her best friend out of fear, like she had been doing for months; or she could let the truth finally hit her, like a metaphorical freight train. She felt something for Max beyond friendship, different than anything she’d ever felt before. Just as the train was about to barrel into them, it let out one final whistle…

* * *

_ *beep* *beep* *beep* _

Opening her eyes, Zoey could still feel her heart racing as she turned to shut off her alarm. It had all been a dream, and yet Zoey had felt the impact. There had always been something that stirred inside her when it came to Max, but she figured it was just the happy feeling you got from your best friend. The dream had magnified it tenfold, and that was all Zoey was able to think about as she got ready for work. As she came down the stairs in her daze, Zoey almost walked into Mo carrying a box from the basement.

“Sorry, Mo. I’m feeling a little out of it today.” Zoey said, picking up something that had fallen out of the box.

“I assume that’s from a lack of sleep, tossing and turning. I know I would if I was in the same self-created mess you are.”

“It was more like a very vivid dream sequence. And I have no idea what it means.” 

“Lucky for you, I’m an expert dream detective. What happened?”

Zoey walked Mo through the events of her dream, and his face didn’t seem at all phased.

“So, then I’m just standing there looking at Max, and I let the train hit me. So, what’s the verdict detective?” 

“Uh-uh. No. If you don’t already know, then I can’t help you.” Mo said, before picking up the box and making his way up the stairs, leaving behind a very confused Zoey. 

Eventually, she came to the conclusion that the dream meant she had to fix her friendship with Max. Picking up two coffees, Zoey waited for him in the SPRQ Point lobby by the elevators. When she finally did see him … it hit her. It hit her like a mother flippin’ freight train. Max walked right past her and into the open elevator doors. As they were about to close, Zoey rushed through them, bringing her face to face with Max. 

“Hi.” she said, before stepping to the side. “I got you an apology coffee.” Zoey extended the cup to Max.

“Thanks, but I already have one.” Max took a sip from the cup in his hand, never even looking her way. 

Letting out a sigh, Zoey leaned forward and pushed the emergency stop button bringing the elevator to screeching halt. 

“What the hell, Zoey …”

“I’m sorry. But I have to tell you something, and since you don’t even want to look at me - drastic measures had to be taken.” 

Finally looking at her, Zoey was a little upset to not see the same look as in her dream, but she hoped what she said next could fix that. 

“Last night, I had a dream. It was me and you standing on these train tracks and we were about to get hit by a freight train. I’m not really sure who was driving, I think it might have also been you, wearing some kind of train conductor hat … but that’s not important.”

“I was driving a train at you? Great apology Zoey, really, manifesting me into some kind of villain …” Max said, looking more pained by her words than she wanted.

“No, that’s not it at all. In the dream, you told me you loved me, again. Last time, that made me want to run away, but this time it didn't. This time, I stayed and I got hit by a train.” Zoey felt a smile creep onto her face. “And it hit me again today. That’s when I realized that I should probably go ahead and tell you that I love you too.” 

Max looked at her in disbelief. “You what?” 

“I know saying that doesn’t magically fix everything, but I hope it’s a start. And, yeah, there’s still some stuff I have to…” She was cut off by Max letting his things fall to the floor. 

In one fluid motion, he wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her the kiss of her life. Zoey let the coffees in her own hands fall haphazardly to the floor before wrapping her arms around his neck to kiss him back. It was a sensation Zoey never wanted to end, but eventually they needed air. Pulling back, Max and Zoey were both panting and smiling like idiots. They didn't leave each other’s arms for a moment, until Zoey got a look at the time on her SPRQ Watch.

“We’re officially late for work.”

“I know that should probably bother me more, but …” Max said, as he leaned in for another kiss.

Zoey could have kissed him all day, but knew they would have to let reality back in eventually. Giving him one more kiss before leaving his arms, Zoey went ahead and resumed their elevator ride. As they reached the 4th floor, it felt strange that only one of them was getting off. Zoey stepped out of the elevator, turning around when Max injected himself between the doors so they couldn’t close.

“Do you want to have dinner later?” Max asked. “So we can talk about everything … of course.” 

“Yes.” Zoey replied, fast and full of embarrassing enthusiasm. “I mean, yes … we should definitely do that.”

Zoey smiled back at the grinning man, as he hesitantly stepped back behind the closing elevator doors. Sighing, she walked towards her desk. It amazed Zoey how much had changed because of a dream. She usually didn't take much stock in dreams because Zoey knew, and even more so after that kiss, the reality was way better. 


End file.
